WHAT IS THE DESIGN FOR LIFE PROGRAMME?
The Design for Life (DfL) programme is an initiative of the Department for Health and Social Care dedicated to delivery of a circular approach to medtech.
Its vision is that, by 2045, the UK will have transitioned away from all avoidable single-use medtech products towards a functioning circular system that maximises reuse, remanufacture, and recycling. The intention is that this will safely transform the sector to deliver enhanced resilience, increased economic growth, better value for patients and the NHS, and minimised environmental impacts.
The programme is a collaborative effort between government, industry, the health and care system, and academia, with over 100 organisations involved.
READ: Design for Life: One Year On Update
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
If you’re an organisation who would like to be involved in DfL, whether it be directly through projects or just to become part of the conversation, then please fill the form here, which is monitored by the team at DHSC.
If you are an individual with thoughts or ideas you would like to share with the DHSC team, then you can use this form here to communicate directly with them..
Finally, if you would like a brief to share details of the programme within your network and organisation, a poster can be downloaded here.
NEWS
Centre for Sustainable Healthcare partner with DHSC to launch a series of pilots on reusable medtech across the UK
The DHSC has commissioned the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) to launch rapid NHS pilot programs focused on reusable alternatives to single-use medical technology. These pilots aim to quantify the cost and carbon savings, as well as develop practical guidance for overcoming adoption barriers.
A comprehensive report detailing the findings across 6-12 device types and multiple NHS Trusts will be published later this year.
Read MoreCommencement of the Digitally-Enabled Circular Healthcare Initiative
DECHI is a core initiative that supports the delivery of the Design for Life’s Physical and Digital Infrastructure theme, where the initiative team will provide regular evidence and insight to the DfL Advisory Group and collaborative.
Launched in January 2025, the three-year, EPSRC Digitally Enabled Circular Healthcare Innovation (DECHI) Research Programme unites leading interdisciplinary research expertise from the Universities of Exeter, Sheffield, and Cambridge. Led by Professor Fiona Charnley, Professor of Circular Innovation and the Co-Director of Exeter Centre for the Circular Economy, the programme researches new digital approaches to expedite the adoption of circular innovation within the MedTech sector.
Read MoreDesign for Life Community Feed
The Community Feed collects examples of how people across the UK, be they clinicians, suppliers, patients, or otherwise, are ‘living DfL.’ Anyone is invited to submit their pictures or videos and a short summary to Designforlife@dhsc.gov.uk to show how they are utilising circular MedTech products and services in their company, hospital, clinic, home, or elsewhere.
As well as showcasing existing green initiatives, the Community Feed will inspire and empower other health professionals to adopt circular processes.
Through open exchange of knowledge, we can learn what works, spark new ideas, and build a more sustainable health system.
Contact Us
Phillips Introduce an Innovative Financing Model to Fund New, ‘EcoDesigned’ Interventional
Radiology Equipment for Mid and South Essex NHS Trust
When the ageing Interventional Radiology equipment at Broomfield Hospital (Chelmsford, Essex) required urgent replacement, capital constraints limited the ability of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust to invest in new equipment. The frequent breakdowns and slower performance were affecting staff morale as well as efficiency.
As part of an ongoing strategic consultancy partnership, Philips introduced a revenue-based financing model to fund the equipment without requiring upfront capital, in partnership with DLL.
Reusable Tourniquets Trial:
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust
Phlebotomy is one of the most undertaken invasive procedures in healthcare. Purchasing data at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust showed that ~340,000 single-use tie band silicone tourniquets were being used per year. Keen to support the NHS transition to net-zero as well as improve patient experience, the clinical procurement team proposed a pilot of innovative reusable silicone wipeable tourniquets.
The pilot was facilitated by a £10,000 grant from the Healthier Futures Action Fund which purchased 450 reusable, medical-grade silicone tourniquets.
Replacing Ethyl Chloride Spray with Cool Sticks in Obstetrics:
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Climate change is a public health emergency recognised by the NHS, with anaesthetic gases being responsible for a significant amount of NHS carbon emissions. A notable contributor is Ethyl Chloride, a hazardous air pollutant that can last over a month in the atmosphere before degrading and cause serious neurological effects if inhaled.
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust introduced reusable Cool Sticks (refrigerated plastic sticks with a metal tip) in their obstetrics department for testing sensory levels following neuraxial blocks.
Pilot Application of the Intercollegiate Green Theatre Checklist in Head and Neck Surgery:
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
The Intercollegiate Green Theatre Checklist is a cross-speciality supportive tool designed to empower surgical teams to create sustainable practice changes within their own departments. Each recommendation on the checklist is grounded in the principles of sustainable quality improvement, including the “triple bottom line” of environmental, social, and economic improvement. This pilot was undertaken to establish the practicality of adoption in a busy tertiary head and neck service.
Joining the #TheatreCap Challenge:
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
The #TheatreCapChallenge is the campaign include clinician’s names and job titles on their theatre caps to improve recognition, communication and personalisation of patient care.
Rationalisation of Arteriovenous Fistula Surgical Trays:
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Operating theatres contribute up to 25% of the NHS’s carbon footprint, and while reusable instruments reduce waste, they still generate emissions from sterilisation and packaging. Many instruments in surgical trays are unused, leading to wasted resources and shorter equipment lifespans. Streamlining surgical trays can reduce waste, improve cost-effectiveness, and enhance sustainability while maintaining patient safety and efficiency.
Reports
Access our comprehensive reports that examine the path towards a sustainable and resilient future for medical devices and healthcare technology.
MedTech Spotlight Report
Accelerating Circular Economy Adoption
This report advocates for a paradigm shift to a circular economy, rejecting the linear ‘take-make-waste’ model. The circular economy, rooted in principles of waste elimination, material circulation at peak value, and natural capital regeneration, presents a transformative opportunity for the MedTech sector.
DHSC
Design for Life Roadmap
The government’s plan to build a circular economy for medical technology to increase resilience, drive growth, realise cost savings and improve sustainability.
Reducing the environmental impact of
medical devices adopted for use in the NHS
An exploration of the challenges and opportunities for integrating environmental impact considerations into key decisions and processes for medical devices in their journey from regulatory approval to adoption in England’s National Health Service.
CSH and Brighton and Sussex Medical School Deliver Report
on the Adoption of Reusable Medical Products Across NHS Trusts
The NHS produces 156,000 tonnes of clinical waste per year in England alone, a figure that is significantly heightened by single-use medical products.
The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare’s new report, commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care’s Design for Life programme and delivered in partnership with Brighton and Sussex Medical School and their Green Healthcare Hub, evaluates the adoption of reusable medical products across several NHS trusts in England and Wales. 7 pilots took place in total, in which large-scale transitions from single-use MedTech to reusable alternatives were undertaken. Devices trialled included blood pressure cuffs, bronchoscopes, and slide sheets. Read full report below.
